The 76-year-old still spends hours each day in his Oceanside shop, fixing, restoring and selling typewriters. He doesn’t make a living off it, although he once did very well in the typewriter industry.

Ernst works with his son, Rick, at Stearns Business Machines, a small store on Vista Way near Coast Highway 101 that has a neon “typewriter” window sign. Its eastern wall is filled with typewriters, the oldest a 1940s Royal. He’s also got Smith Coronas and IBMs on sale (An IBM goes for $189).

Stearns makes 90 percent of its money fixing personal computers for businesses and individuals. That’s Rick’s job. But Ott, who also makes house calls, is currently working on four typewriters in the backroom of the small shop. He says he sells about 50 machines per year out of Stearns. Ernst says most of his money comes from rental income.

Today, Stearns Business Machines is among a handful of typewriter repair shops across San Diego County.

The U-T visited Ernst recently to learn more about his typewriter business. His answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: Who still uses typewriters?

A: We have customers such as seniors, who are not very happy with computer programming and memorizing passwords and things like that. Those are the ones that keep typewriters going. The other types are people who have shaky hands. It’s so much simpler writing a check out using a typewriter. They put paper in there, put a check in there, and with one finger they can type.

Lawyers buy these old machines. They don’t use them. They show them off to their customers to show how well tuned they are with the world from yesterday.

Q:: How do you sell typewriters?

A: They all have price tags on them. But they also have ‘O. B. O’ on them, meaning ‘or best offer.’ And I have people coming in and saying, ‘How much is this typewriter here?’ And I’ll tell them, well the price tag is $159 for a Smith Corona, or best offer. So make me an offer. So one time, a woman came in and offered $25. I said, ‘It’s yours!’ They can’t believe it. So they walk out paying $25 and tell everybody about it.

But you know what happens? This typewriter, they use. And then pretty soon it needs a ribbon. And pretty soon they come back in and say, ‘I need a ribbon.’

Q: What got you interested in typewriters?

A: In Germany, I went to high school in mechanics. And from there I could choose what I wanted to be. I did not want to be a calculator man. I wanted to be a typewriter man. I figured everybody needs a typewriter.

Q: You came to the U.S. in 1956. How was the typewriter market here when you came over?

A: Excellent. That’s why I had no problems getting a sponsorship here. I worked for the Royal McBee Corp. in Minneapolis, which is where my sponsor lived. I waited five years and then became a citizen.